Captivating The King 2024 K Drama Episode 14

Lee In is a prince with a caring older brother, King Lee Sun. Pledging loyalty to his brother, Lee In is taken hostage by the Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately, King Lee Sun misinterprets this loyalty as betrayal, leading to a strained relationship. Lee In suffers emotionally due to his brother’s resentment.

During his time as a hostage, Lee In encounters an unknown baduk player who captivates him with her skills. Eventually, circumstances unfold, and Lee In ascends to the throne as the king. Despite holding a powerful position, he grapples with internal sadness and vulnerability.

A still from the series “Captivating the King”

Kang Hee-soo, previously known as a skilled but unknown baduk player, crosses paths with Prince Lee In and falls in love with him. However, fate takes a twist as she becomes a spy with a mission for revenge. Her journey involves approaching King Lee In, adding complexities to their intertwined destinies.

Captivating the King Episode 14 Recap

The principal director understands that the King has found out the truth and wants to bring him down. But the official is so not ready to give up and starts with his plans to evade the issue. Je-nam is summoned to the court and he also realises that the King suspects the principal director to be the real man behind his late brother’s death, the spy mission and other treason. Je-nam agrees to help the King in finding evidence to prove the criminal guilty.

Meanwhile, the court lady mocks Sang-hwa for being careless and letting the King face a near-death experience. At Sang-hoon’s house, the recovering Hee-soo feels bad for Dal-ha’s arrest, not knowing of King’s true plans. She also feels terrible as the King left without saying a word to her. The next day at the assembly, the officials opposed the interrogation of Dal-ha regarding the spy issue that happened three years ago. The King becomes mad and yells at them all, dismissing the assembly.

A still from the series “Captivating the King”

When Myung-ha and three other ministers who don’t join hands with the principal director have a private meeting, they ask Myung-ha why his late father fixed that Lee In is the one who arranged the spy. Myung-ha remembers Hyun-bo telling his father that Dal-ha and Lee In often meet in the courtesan house. Myung-ha fixes the pieces and realises that the King met Dal-ha for the first time only now which means three years back they had no clue about each other. Myung-ha rushes out and finds Hyun-bo. He threatens him to death and realises how a single life caused so much distress.

The principal director meets Queen Dowager and tells her the truth about being the backbone of the spy case that happened three years back. He also subtly tells the Queen Dowager that if the King tries to cast him away, he will crumble him. This upsets the Queen Dowager. Through Je-nam, Hee-soo learns of the King’s plans and decides to meet him. During their meeting, he confesses to her the real truth about his late brother’s last words and how he falsely ascended the throne.

A still from the series “Captivating the King”

Hee-soo hugs the King and assures him that he did what’s best to protect his loved ones and that she’ll be beside him no matter what. The same day, Hee-soo meets Myung-ha and assures that the King is working on their behalf but he gets mad at her for siding with the King when she’s the one who plots a revenge plan. That night when Hee-soo meets Dal-ha, he remembers the time when the principal director’s servant Mok-dong recognised him. They realise that it is Mok-dong who said to the Qing officials about the spy, Dal-ha.

When Sang-hwa goes to arrest Mok-dong they learn he’s out of town. The principal director pays Mok-dong some money and asks him to get out of town. When he leaves, Sang-hwa and his troop find him and try to catch him. However, an assassin kills Mok-dong and we learn that it is the principal director who assigned a person to carry out the crime. The King gets mad at how his uncle is causing the chaos and calls him to warn him.

During their heated conversation, he gives him two options: to confess the crimes and get a minimal punishment or be interrogated in public and be ashamed. The principal director asks for a day and leaves. Using this as an opportunity, Hyun-bo persuades the principal director and promises to make Myung-ha join hands with them. He then leaves to speak to Myung-ha and makes him agree to their plan.

A still from the series “Captivating the King”

The following day, in front of the assembly the principal director says that he has crimes to confess. The King says that with evidence he’ll catch the culprit. The King’s only witness is the court lady but before he can meet her, the principal director hands her a box and warns her. We then learn that the court lady was the one who overheard Sang-hoon and the late king’s conversation about sending a spy and informing the principal director. Then he sent the word out about the spy to the Qing official to spoil the reputation of Joseon’s King.

Fearing her life, the court lady takes the box and prepares for the night. She opens it and we find a red lip tint which she applies on her lips. At the King’s room, he asks her to tell the truth about the principal director and promises to save her from the punishment. She agrees to it with a condition and a last request. The King asks what wish she needs and she comes closer to kiss him and the episode ends.

Captivating the King Episode 14 Review

And so the cause of the late King’s death is nothing but a kiss. The court lady usually doesn’t wear any lip tint but seems like that’s the way she poisoned the late King. Now that she wants to end everything, she has decided to kiss the King and make him taste the poison so he can die slowly. We’re yet to know whether he kissed her or not but regardless, it’s such a creative way to kill someone (not that I’m saying it’s a wonderful idea, definitely not!)

A still from the series “Captivating the King”

Finally everyone who hated the King found out the truth and realised that due to certain evil people, the innocent King Lee In had to undergo all sacrifices when he could have lived a happy life as the Grand Prince. Myung-ha figured that Hyun-bo manipulated his father into believing that Lee In was the bad guy. If only it had not happened, his father would have been alive. Similarly, Je-nam also understood the real nature of the King. Most importantly, Hee-soo regrets her choices and feels bad for not giving Lee In the chance to explain.